West Ham’s Premier League future will be on the line in their match against title favourites Arsenal.
Nuno Espirito Santo’s side are already one point below Tottenham, who face an easier game against Leeds on Monday.
If West Ham lose to Arsenal and Spurs beat Leeds, the Hammers can start preparing for the Championship next season.
Dressing Room Atmosphere Unchanged
Mateus Fernandes insists that the mood inside the dressing room has not changed in the last week.
West Ham had overtaken Tottenham and narrowly escaped the bottom three before last weekend’s results.
The Hammers lost 3-0 away to Brentford, while Spurs earned their second consecutive victory against Aston Villa.
West Ham then fell back into the relegation zone ahead of their all-important London derby against Arsenal.
However, the players have reportedly not let the massive disappointment affect the dressing room atmosphere.
“The atmosphere [at Rush Green] is not different, it’s the same,” Fernandes told whufc.com. “Our position is different compared to last week, but it’s football. Everything can change very quickly.
“Last week, we were happier. This week, they won the game and everything changed, but we can change it. We need to be ourselves again.
“We need to do the same things because in the last four games, we just lost one and it was this last one. We’re doing the right things.
West Ham would still be below Spurs on goal difference… 😬
“When we come to the training ground, the mood is very good. The guys believe we can do it.”
Pablo Felipe Highlights Team Confidence
West Ham forward Pablo Felipe also maintained that the players have not lost hope of Premier League survival.
He highlighted Nuno’s calming influence as a key reason for their confidence despite the predicament they face.
“For sure, it’s the most important moment of my career,” Pablo explained. “We know the requirements of the Premier League, and we know our mission.
“We know we are in a difficult situation, but we are confident and positive that we will achieve our goal. We are all working together and focused.
“We have a great coach who helps us a lot. He always motivates us and reassures us about our situation. We have to work hard to get out of this situation.”
Given the stakes, the West Ham players could be excused for feeling anxious before the game.